In the study of coastal geomorphology, spits and barrier bars formed along the Malabar coast are primarily constructed by which of the following sediment transport processes operating parallel to the shoreline?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Longshore drift involves the transport of sediments along the coast by wave action that strikes the shore at an oblique angle, gradually accumulating sand into spits and barrier bars across river mouths. This process plays a vital role in isolating coastal lagoons and forming the extensive backwater networks characteristic of the region. Eolian deflation relates to wind erosion in arid environments, whereas glacial processes are absent in tropical coastal zones. Wave refraction and oblique wave incidence dictate littoral sediment budgets.